during our annual meeting this past june in orlando, vice president biden pledged the obama administration would make sure that the future infrastructure investments are more targeted to local areas. in november, last year, the vice president hosted our leadership in the white house, to discuss the fiscal cliff and the concerns of mayors regard boast inrestor programs programs progt financing. whenever there's major issue that demands attention, again and again and again, vice president joe biden has shown the leadership and courage needed to help move our nation in the right direction. that is why i was certainly very heartened when president obama asked vice president biden to lead a specific task force to develop responses to the tragedy at not only sandy hook elementary school, but the daily tragedies we see all across america. the nation's mayors and vice president biden have stood together for many, many years in support of public safety. after all, it was then-senator joe biden who championed the crime bill, which established the cops program, and included the ban on assault weapons